chaeto, salinty-stability dependant?

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9313517#post9313517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lakee911
It sounds like you've got a good experiment there, but you've got two variables that you're changing: Light and Flow. The one that did better, is it because of the light or the flow?

Jason

You are right, The next phase is to switch the lamps.
I would say high flow keeps the Chaeto cleaner but may carry more suspended nutrients to the plant and troghout it. On the other hand I noticed the algae under low flow allows for slightly higher water temperature from the MH lamp around the algae (will temperature be a factor too?), in addition there seems to be more detritus around the algae that may provide even more nutrients.
The light difference seems to be a definitive factor. though.

 

[lakee911]

Very good points. Something else to keep in mind is that whatever you have in your fuge may not be conducive to high or low flows.

Detrius may disolve if enough flow is given and be able to be skimmed out.

Jason

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9312793#post9312793 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
About three weeks ago I started a comparison test for chaeto growth.
Here is what I did. On one side of the 55 refugium I set up a ball of chaeto, set up a powerhead to keep it tumbling under high flow and under 110 watt of 10K PC lighting
On the other side I set up a similar amount of Chaeto but instead of a tumbling ball I spread it near the surface under slow flow and under 10K 175 watt metal halide and turn it over once a week.
Tank Nitrate reading (LaMotte) undetectable (Less than 0.25 ppm) and phosphate reading undetectable (Hanna colorimeter less than 0.01ppm)
So so far under same nutrient circumstances here is what I observed:
a) The ball grew about 10 to 15% of the original volume became more compact, the filaments became thicker, more brittle and dark green

b) The spread out grew very fast to about three times the size of the ball judging by area and depth covered, filaments remained more flexible and do not break when pulled but a lighter shade of green.

Here is the comparison:

Here is the setup:

Well, the second part of the experiment is under way. I switched the lamps and now the tumbling chaeto is under 175 Watt MH and the other is under 110 PC
I'll report in three weeks how it goes.

 

[lakee911]

Sounds good. I look forward to seeing the results.